“Tommy!” his mother hissed.
His face turned red and he hunched over. “Are we done yet?”
“Not quite.” Laurel watched the interplay. “Do you have access to a gun?”
“No,” Tommy said.
His family didn’t contradict him. Laurel paused. “How about Davie? Does he have a weapon?”
Tommy snorted. “Where would Davie get a gun? He’s on government lunch at school, man. That’s just stupid.” He laughed. “The guy doesn’t even have a car. I drive him everywhere, and sometimes Haylee or Jason have to pick him up at school to go to work. Sometimes he has to borrow their truck. Seriously.”
There were a lot of places to get a gun. “Tell me about your previous arrest, Tommy,” Laurel said.
His eyes blazed, coming alive. “I didn’t do anything. God. I was dating this girl and we got together one night, and I snuck out her window. Then her fucking dad found me and thought I was peering into her window. She was afraid to tell him the truth. So not fair.”
“Yet there was enough evidence that you spent time at the youth ranch,” Huck said. “We’re missing something.”
“Whatever.” Tommy crossed his arms.
Laurel looked at his brother. “Would you like to expand on that statement?”
“No,” Steve said. “All records have been sealed and will be expunged the second Tommy turns eighteen. I will say that he’s telling the truth and that the situation wasn’t fair to him. But that’s all I can say.”
She had to get those records opened. “I saw Davie at work last night but he had no idea where you were, and you weren’t at home yet. We checked. Where were you?”
“Iwashome. Snuck in through my window, and my folks didn’t know.” Tommy smirked. It wasn’t a good look on him.
“I’ll confirm that right now,” his mother said.
Right. Laurel kept her focus on the kid.
Teri Bearing tapped perfectly manicured nails on the table. “You are reaching the wrong conclusion about my son. Yes, he got into a little bit of trouble that was not even his fault, and he did his penance. In addition, he has volunteered once a week at the women’s center, as well as a local daycare, and he has enjoyed himself. He’s learned to give back to the community and to take care of children.” She smoothed his hair and he jerked away from her. “Both he and Davie have learned the importance of being responsible and part of a small town.”
Sure they had. Laurel purposely didn’t look at Teri, thus making Tommy her obvious focus. “Did you know Charlene Rox? The psychiatrist?”
Tommy shifted on his seat. “No.”
“Is it possible you mowed her lawn or plowed her driveway?” Laurel asked.
“I don’t know. Me and Davie don’t talk to the clients. Well, usually. Davie can bum food off anybody, so he probably would know. But I don’t remember that name at all.” Tommy glanced at his phone.
Laurel pulled a file folder from her laptop bag on the floor and handed over a picture. “This is Charlene Rox.”
Tommy looked at the picture. “Nope. She’s kind of hot, though.”
Laurel slid pictures of Christine Franklin and Abigail Caine across the table. “How about them?”
He shook his head. “No. Never seen either one of them.”
“Mrs. Bearing?” Huck asked.
Teri Bearing looked at the pictures. “As you know, I’ve worked with Abigail Caine at my yearly charity auction and have not met Charlene Rox. As for Christine Franklin, she was my husband’s doctor when he exhibited heart problems and required surgery by a Dr. Keyes to repair a valve. It was a simple surgery.”
Laurel’s eyebrow lifted. “Dr. Keyes performed that particular surgery?”
“He’s the best, and I know of several people Joseph operated on.” Teri ducked her head. “That’s how Sharon met him. She accompanied me to the surgery and met him when he came to give us the results. I later learned that he asked her out shortly thereafter.”
That was unprofessional and slightly unnerving. “Do you know where they’d rendezvous? Did they have a place that was somewhat secluded?” Laurel asked, her heart speeding up.
